Road-grader.



N. K. SKOW ROAD GRADER.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 00T. 14, 1909.

978,498, Patented Deo. 13, 1910.

HMM @www N. K. SKOW.

ROAD GRADBR.

APPLIoATxoN FILED 001.14, 1909.

978,498; Patented Deo. 13,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llllll` NIELS K. SKOW, OF NEWTON, IOWA.

ROAD-GRAD'ER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Application led. October 14, 1909. Serial No. 523,082.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NInLs K. Snow, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Newton, Jasper county, Iowa, have invented anew and useful Road- Grader, of which the following is a speciication.

The object of this invention is to provide animproved construction forroad graders.

A further object of this invention is to provide .means for leveling andsmoothing,

pulverizing, dragging and pressing the surface of the ground at the rearof a scraper blade in a road grader.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for raising andlowering and locking a metal shoe relative to and at thel rear of thescraper blade of a road` grader.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting andlocking casters relative to the frame of a road grader.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting andlocking a seat relative to the frame of a` road grader.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof elements hereinafter set forth, pointed outv in my claims andillustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which-W Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3is an enlarged rear elevation of the machine, the seat being removed.

In the construction of the machine as shown a beam is provided and isformed of angle bars 10, 11 arranged parallel with each other, slightlyspaced apart and having their flanges projecting outwardly at thebottoms of their ribs. A block 12 is mounted between and bolted to theforward portions of the bars 10, 11. A steering truck 13 is journaled inthe block 12 and supports the forward end portions of the bars 10, 11. Adraft clevis 11i. is mounted on the block 12 and a Whittle-tree notshown may be secured to said clevis for the purpose of drawing themachine over the surface of the grol'lnd. A seat-bar 15 is pivoted onand extends rearward and upward from the angle bars 10, 11. adjacent tothe rear ends thereof. .A block 16 is mounted between and fixed to thebars 10, 11 adjacent the rear ends thereof and a bolt 17 extendsvertically through said block and through the lower end portion of theseat bar 15. A handle-nut 18 is secured on the upper end of the block 16and serves to connect the seat bar to the block. A scat 19 is carried onthe upper rear end portion of the bar 15.

A scraper blade 20 is provided and it may be made of any desiredmaterial in any desired shape. For convenience I show the scraper blade20 of conventional form, concave-convex in cross-section and sharpenedat its lower margin. An arm 21 extends downward from the block 16 andthe lower end portion of said arm is embraced loosely by a yoke 22 ixedto and extending rearward from the central portion of the scraper blade20. A segment-bar 23 is mounted beneath and extends across the centralportions of the angle bars 10, 11 and is formed with a gear 24 on itsconcaved margin. A block 25 is mounted between and fixed to the anglebars 10, 11 and extends beneath the segmentbar 23, and a gear 26 isjournaled on said block and meshes with the gear 24. A handwheel 27 iscarried by and above the gear 26 in a plane above the beam. A pin 28 maybe placed between teeth of the gear 26 and enter a hole in the block 25and serve to lock said gear in any position in which it may be placedmanually. Brackets 29, 3() are fixed to end portions of ithe segmentbar23 and extend above and below said bar.

Swivel-stems 31 (one of which is shown in Fig. 1) are formed on andextend downward from rear portions of the brackets 29, and caster heads32, 33 are swiveled on said stems. Arms 34, 35 are lixed in pairs to andextend downwardly and rearwardly from the caster heads 32, 33 andcasters 36, 37 are journaled between extremities of said arms. Each ofthe casters 36, 37 is formed with a central peripheral tiange, rib orfin 38. Clearers or Scrapers 39, 40 are fixed to and extend rearwardfrom the caster heads 32, 33, are notched to straddle the centralflanges 3S and engage the casters at their uppermost points. The casterheads 32, 33 are formed with arms 111, 42 extending rearwardly fromtheir upper ends and studs or pins 413, 44 are formed on or fixed to andrise from extremities of said arms.

Spring-arms 45, 46 are pivoted at their inner ends, on vertical axes, tothe rear end portion of the beam and extend in opposite directionstherefrom across the arms 41, 42. The spring-arms Ll5, 46 are formedwith a plurality of holes 17 between their centers and outer endswhereby they are adapted to engage adjustably with the studs or pins 43,

44 on the arms 41, 42. The spring-arms 45, 46 are curved between theirends. It is the function of the spring-arms 45, 46 to hold the casterheads 32, 33 in given positions in which they may be placed manually sothat the casters will travel on desired lines relative to the path oftravel of the beam and front truck, and the connection between saidarmsA and the pins 43, 44 may be adjusted to permit of desiredadjustment of the caster heads and casters. ln this connection it may bestated that it is the function of the flanges or ribs 38 to preventskidding of the machine and cause the casters to travel in desireddirections under control of manual adjustments of the caster heads.

Vertical bearings are formed in the brackets 29, 30 in front of thecaster stems 31 and above end portions of the segmentbar 23 and stems48, 49 are mounted in said bearings. The lower portions of the stems 48,49 extend loosely through loops or yoles 50 (two of which are shown inFig. l), mounted on and extending rearward from end portions of thescraper blade 20. It is the function of the loops 50 to connect the endportions of the scraper blade 20 slidingly to the stems 48, 49.Bell-crank levers 51, 52 are mounted in slots of and fulcrumed tobearings 53, 54 mounted on the upper ends of the stems 48, 49. The longarms of the bell-cranks 51, 52 are approximately horizontal and. extendin opposite directions from the bearings 53, 54 and are connectedpivotally at their outer ends to hanger-rods 55, 56. The hanger-rods 55,56 loosely andpivotally engage at their lower ends with hanger-plates57, 58 ixed to end portions of the scraper blade 20. The hanger-plates57, 58 are fixed to rear faces of the scraper blade 20 adjacent totheends thereof and extend above the upper margin of said blade. Theshort arms of the levers 51, 52 extend upward within the bearings 53, 54and are formed with worm gears 59, 60 on their upper ends. Worms 61, 62are journaled in t-he upper ends of the bearings 53, 54 and engage theworm gears 59, 60. Hand-wheels 63, 64 are fixed to inner end portions ofthe worms 61, 62. rIhe wheels 63, 64 are adapted for manual rotationindependently of each other for the purpose of revolving the worms 61,62 in either direction. The bellcranks 51, 52 acting through thehanger-rods 55, 56 and hanger-plates 57, 58 raise or lower either end ofthe scraper blade 2O independently of the other. The scraper blade 20oscillates on a vertical axis determined by the rod or stem 21 and alsooscillates on a variable horizontal axis as it may be raised or loweredat either end by the hand-wheel 63 or 64 or raised at one end andlowered at the other end by said hand-wheels.

A bar 65 is fixed to and connects end portions of the segment-bar 23 andprojects laterally at opposite ends therefrom. The central portion ofthe bar 65 is curved rearwardly. Brackets 66, one of which is shown inFig. l, are fixed to and extend forwardly and rearwardly from lower endport-ions of the stems 48, 49. The lower end portions of the casterstems 31 are fixed to the rear portions of the brackets 66. A shoe 67 ishinged at. points on its forward margin adjacent its ends to the forwardends of the brackets 66. Bell-crank levers 68, 69 are fulcrumed on thelaterally projecting end portions of the cross-bar 65 and are providedwith suitable detent devices for holding said levers in relation to saidcross-bar in any positions in which they may be placed manually. Attimes the bell-crank levers 68, 69 may stand as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawing with their upper arms in approximately vertical posit-ions andadapted for manual operation, and their lower arms extending in oppositedirections outwardly from the machine frame. The outer ends of the lowerarms of the bell-crank levers .68, 69 are pivotally connected tohanger-rods 70, 71 and the lower ends of said hangerrods are pivotallyconnected to angle plates 72, 73, which angle plates are fixed to theshoe 67. The angle plates 72, 73 are located on the upper surfaces ofthe shoe 67 adjacent to the rear margin thereof and are spaced inwardfrom ends of said shoe. `When the shoe 67 is located in the positionshown in the accompanying drawing it drags after and serves to press,smooth and pulverize clods on the surface of the ground over which thescraper blade 2O is moved. The shoe may be adjusted by manipulation ofthe bell-crank levers 68, 69 into such position that its lower margin isin a plane below the cutting edge of the blade 2O at which time saidshoe serves to pulverize, drag, compress and smooth the surface of thesoil independent of the scraper blade. F or instance, the scraper blademay be employed only to engage and cut off hummocks or considerableprojections from the surface of the soil, all of the dragging,smoothing, pulverizing and pressing being done by the shoe 67. Thisadjustment can be carried to the extent that the scraper blade 2O is inwholly inoperative position, all of the work being done by the shoe; or,in the other extreme, the shoe may be adjusted into inoper-v ativeposition and all of the work be done by the scraper blade.

I claim as my inventionl. A road grader, comprising a beam, a castertruck supporting the forward end of said beam, means for attaching draftpower to said beam, a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted tosaid beam, a segment slidingly connectedto said beam, slidingconnections between end portions of the segment and end portions of thescraper blade, casters swiveled to said segment, means for connectingsaid casters, and levers fulcrumed on said segment and flexiblyconnected to end portions of said blade.

2. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end` of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scrape-r blade ar anged transversely and pivoted and' arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam, sliding connections` between endV portions ofthe segment and' endE port-ionsof the scraper' blade, casters swiveledto said segment, means for connecting said casters, and levers fulcrumedon said' segment andv flexibly connected to end portions of said blade.

3. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted to said beam, a

segment slidingly connectedv to said beam, sliding connections betweenend portions of the segment and endl portions of the scraper blade,casters swiveled to said segment, means for connectingA said castersadjustably to each other and to theV beam, andy levers fulcrumed onsaid'` segment andy flexibly connected to end' portions of said blade.

4. A road grader comprising4 a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching drafft power to said beam,aI scraper bladel arranged transversely and' pivoted to said beam, asegment slidingly` connected tosaidv beam, slidingconnections betweeniend portions of the segment and` end portions oii the scraper blade,castersswiveledV to said. segment, means for connecting said casters,and worm-operated bell-crank: levers fulcrumed on said segment and'flexibly connected to end portions of said blade.`

5. A road grader comprising,I a beam, a caster truck. supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said: beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivotedand arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected toy said beam, sliding connections between end portions ofthesegment and endportions of the scraper blade, casters swiveled to saidsegment, means for connecting saidA casters adjustably to each other andto the beam, and worm-operated bell-crank levers fulcrumed on saidsegment andl flexibly connected to end portions of said blade.

6. A road grader, comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end. of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, asegment slidinglyconnected to-said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaled insaid brackets, stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connecting endlportions of the scraper blade to said stems, manually-operated levermechanism carried by said stems for' independently raising and loweringend portions of the scraper blade, and adjustable connections betweensaid casters and the beam.

7. A road grader, comprising abeam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, meams for attaching drafft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and ar 'anged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,manually operated gear mechanism for moving said segment relative to thebeam, brackets ixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaledin said brackets, stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connectingendportions of the scraper' blade to said stems, manually-operated levermechanism carried by said stems for independently raising and loweringend portions of the scraper blade, and adjustable connections betweensaid casters and the beam.

8. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a4 segment slidnglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaled insaid brackets and arranged for vertical sliding movement of the bracketsrelative-thereto, stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connecting endportions of the scraper' blade to said stems, manually-operated levermechanism carried by said4 stems for independently raising and loweringend. portions of the scraper blade, and adjustable connections betweensaid casters and the beam.

9. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to saidbeam,.a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beamand arched forwardly from said` sc aper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaled insaid b ackets and arranged for vertical sliding movement of the bracketsrelative thereto, said' casters formed with central peripheral flanges,stems in said brackets, yokes loosely conl necting end portions of thescraper blade to said stems, manually-operated lever mechanism carriedby said stems fo-r independently raising and lowering end portions ofthe scraper blade, and adjustable connections between said casters andthe beam.

10. In a road grader, the combination of a beam, a segment thereon,casters journaled to the segment, a blade carried by said beam andsegment, means for raising' and lowering said blade relative to saidbeam and segment and relative to said casters, and adjustableconnections between said casters and beam whereby the casters are lockedagainst oscillation relative to each other or to the blade.

11. In a road grader, a beam, a segment thereon, a scraper blade carriedby said segment and beam, brackets on the segment, casters journaled insaid brackets, springbars pivoted to said beam and formed with a seriesof holes in their outer ends, and pins on frames of said casters adaptedto engage one or another of the holes in each spring bar.

12. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam',a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted to said beam, asegment slidingly connected to said beam, sliding connections betweenend portions of the segment and end portions of the scraper blade,casters swiveled to said segment, means for connecting said casters,levers fulcrumed Aon said segment and flexibly connected to end portionsof said blade, a shoe suspended from and hinged relative to said segmentat the rear of said blade, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

13. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam, sliding connections'between end portions of thesegment and end portions of the scraper blade, casters swiveled to saidsegment, means for connecting said casters, levers fulcrumed on saidsegment and flexibly connected to end portions ofsaid blade, a shoesuspended from and hinged relative to said segment at the rear of saidblade, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

14. A Aroad grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting the'forward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted to said beam, asegment slidingly connected to said beam, sliding connections betweenend portions of the segment and end portions of the scraper blade,casters swiveled to said segment, means for connecting said castersadjustably to each other and to the beam, levers fulcrumed on' saidsegment and flexibly connected to end portions of said blade, a shoesuspended from and hinged relative to said segment at the rear of saidblade, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

15. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted to said beam, asegment slidingly connected to said beam, sliding connections betweenend portions of the segment and end portions of the scraper blade,casters swiveled to said segment, means for connecting said casters,worm-operated bellcrank levers fulcrumed on said segment and flexiblyconnected to end portions of said blade, a shoe suspended from andhinged relative to said segment at the rear of said blade, and means forraising and lowering said shoe.

16. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam, sliding connections between end portions of thesegment and end portions of the scraper blade, casters swiveled to saidsegment, means for connecting said casters adjustably to each other andtothe beam, worm-operated bell-crank levers fulcrumed on said segmentand flexibly connected to end portions of said blade, a shoe suspendedfrom and hinged relative to said segment at the rear of said blade, andmeans for raising and lowering said shoe.

17. A road grader, comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaled insaid brackets, stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connecting endportions of the scraper blade to said stems, manually-operated levermechanism carried by said stems for independently raising and loweringend portions of the scraper blade, adjustable connections between saidcasters and the beam, a shoe suspended from and hinged relative to saidsegment at the rear of said blade, and means for raising and loweringsaid shoe.

18. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,manually-operated gear mechanism for moving 'said segment relative tothe beam, brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, castersjournaled in said brackets, stems in said brackets, yokes looselyconnecting end port-ions of the scraper blade te said stems,manually-operated lever mechanism carried by said stems forindependently raising and lowering end portions of the scraper blade,adjustable connections between said casters and the beam, a shoesuspended from and hinged relative to said segment at the rear of saidblade, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

19. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative to said beam, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters j ournaled insaid brackets and arranged for vertical sliding movement of the bracketsrelative thereto, stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connecting endportions of the scraper blade to said stems, manually-operated levermechanism carried by said stems for independently raising and loweringend portions of the scraper blade, adjustable connections between saidcasters and the beam, a shoe suspended from and hinged relative to saidsegment at the rear of said blade, and means for raising and loweringsaid shoe.

20. A road grader comprising a beam, a caster truck supporting theforward end of said beam, means for attaching draft power to said beam,a scraper blade arranged transversely and pivoted and arranged forvertical sliding movement relative thereto, a segment slidinglyconnected to said beam and arched forwardly from said scraper blade,brackets fixed to end portions of said segment, casters journaled insaid brackets and arranged for vertical sliding movement of the bracketsrelative thereto, said casters formed with central peripheral flanges,stems in said brackets, yokes loosely connecting end portions of thescraper blade t0 said stems, manually-operated lever mechanism carriedby said stems for independently raising and lowering end portions of thescraper blade, adjustable connections between said casters and the beam,a shoe suspended from and hinged relative to said segment at the rear ofsaid blade, and means for raising and lowering said shoe.

21. 1n a road grader, the combination of a beam, a segment thereon,casters j ournaled to the segment, a blade carried by said segment andDbeam, means for raising and lowering said blade relative to said beamand segment and relative to said casters, adjustable connections betweensaid casters and beam whereby the casters are locked against oscillationrelative to each other or to the blade, a shoe suspended from and hingedrelative to said segment at the rear of said blade, and means forraising and lowering said shoe.

Signed by me at Des Moines, Iowa, this twenty second day of September,1909.

NIELS K. SKOW'.

Vitnesses:

WV. W. FINK, S. C. Swnn'r.

